If you were using CO points I think you'd have a few more options for routing without a surcharge (e.g. BKK, ICN, NRT) but I believe that UA doesn't permit that without a surcharge. I might be wrong there.

Use the Aeroplan website or ANA to uncover *A award availability. Alternatively, sign up for a KVS Tool Diamond or Plat subscription -- may be worth the $15/$20 for two months (or $60/$75 for 12).

Try routing via Asia. You get 15% over MPM, which means that for SEA-SYD you can take any route up to 10,703 miles. That means that SEA-NRT-SYD, SEA-YVR-NRT-SYD or even SEA-SFO-NRT-SYD are options (unfortunately, I don't think routing through HKG or ICN are options).

Start in economy, and move up slowly. Start with one economy seat, and the one biz seat available that you've already identified. Keep close tabs on inventory (maybe use ExpertFlyer, but there's a cost there as well), and call UA to push you up to biz when the inventory opens. Of course, you always run the risk of one of you in Y.

Good luck. I have been trying to get 1 bus and 1 coach seat to AKL for 1/19/12. Best I have been able to do is a first ticket connecting thru SYD to AKL. There is a 7 hr wait in SYD because of no availability on 3 earlier flights. The only way to get a seat for the coach ticket is SYD-Christchurch-AKL. We are both leaving from the east coast so we don't want to add yet another stop.

There's availability to SYD early next February via both Incheon and Shanghai. They exceed your MPM, but you might be able to get UA to ticket it anyway (this is a clear YMMV).

ALSO: UA has Biz availability on January 30th (2012) direct from LAX and SFO to SYD. It is VERY possible that UA's MPM is calculated on a round-trip, not one-way basis -- somebody else may know more. If that's the case, the mileage you save flying direct on the outbound may let you do a more creative routing on the return (e.g., availability via ICN).

Try routing via Asia. You get 15% over MPM, which means that for SEA-SYD you can take any route up to 10,703 miles. That means that SEA-NRT-SYD, SEA-YVR-NRT-SYD or even SEA-SFO-NRT-SYD are options (unfortunately, I don't think routing through HKG or ICN are options).

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Not to hijack this thread, but how do you get the 10,703 MPM for SEA-SYD??

Good luck. I have been trying to get 1 bus and 1 coach seat to AKL for 1/19/12. Best I have been able to do is a first ticket connecting thru SYD to AKL. There is a 7 hr wait in SYD because of no availability on 3 earlier flights. The only way to get a seat for the coach ticket is SYD-Christchurch-AKL. We are both leaving from the east coast so we don't want to add yet another stop.

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While I generally agree that taking an extra connection isn't ideal, when you're using miles for a seat, sometimes you just gotta take what you can get. Good luck!

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